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I have been using the Sonic Relief machine on my husband's shoulder lingaments for the last week! He keeps saying its feels so much better. This is an old injury for which he is feeling increasing relief with each treatment he gets! However, I did not buy this machine for him! I bought it for me!!!! I danced flamenco for a long time when young. I have a tiny size five foot, and an extremely high arch. I am also a teacher by profession: always on my feet. All of these factors have combined and have resulted in severe suffering in both of the plantar areas of my feet. I finally gave up on pretty shoes, and began wearing old laced up grandma shoes. My pain nevertheless got really bad. Then last year I did something foolish: I wore some boots on a cold day, and walked all day in them, and even did my teacher-guard duty outside the cafeteria of my school. That was the beginning of sorrows and excruciating pain. The day after I could hardly walk. I rushed to my primary care physician. He diagnosed bilateral Plantar Fasciitis. He also told me what exercises to do each day...and a friend told me that I needed the boots at night to keep my plantar area upright while I slept. I kept on with the cold, hot treatments, the boots, the exercises....and uglier shoes -- all dressed up while wearing bulky tennis shoes. I even had to take a note to my principal so I could wear tennis shoes while I taught.
This summer of 2007 with more time on my hands (vacation), and with crippling pain which could best be described as if stepping on nails and carrying bricks of cement on each foot each time I stepped I was given a referral to a podiatrist. The first thing I asked my podiatrist was if he recommended a little machine I had read about: sonic relief. He told me not to waste my money on it. However, the same podiatrist gave up on me after the third visit...and sent me to a nerve specialist...and told me I had something like fibromyalgia on my left foot or never damage on it...or something else... he just could not tell... and that a nerve specialist and a pain management doctor could do some procedures to block out the excruciating foot pain. I insisted on an x-ray and an MRI. The MRI confirmed that for the last year I had been doing aggressive therapy (as prescribed by my primary care physician) on micro tears on my plantar ligaments, that I had inflammed tissues, Plantar Fasciitis, two big sized heel spurs, and a cyst... and a bunion, plus some arthritis on my my toes on my left foot. My right foot showed inflammation, a big heal spur, and arthritis with a bigger bunion, and another condition. My podiatri[s]t had me place my left foot in a removable leg cast to immobilize the ligament and recommended the nerve specialist. My primary care physcian made a referral for the nerve specialist and recommended I take a pain medication while I waited for the appointment. The pain medication is a medication that has been on the market for about two years (which frankly scares me), and it is primarily prescribed for people who suffer from convulsions and from diabetes. I don't suffer from any of those conditions. However, I was desperate with pain. I started taking the medication for the pain, and immediately within two days the leg swelled to twice its size. I called my pharmacist. He told me to go back to to my primary care physician and report the side effect. I did. My primary care physician told me to take the medication and to increase the dos[e]. He told me my feet would swell, and that the swelling might continue for up to four or even six months, so if I wanted to I could take a diuretic (for which he gave me another prescription). He also told me that he could not do much for me. He had a wheel chair delivered to my home...I have been using it, because both legs hurt so much, and the right leg is in danger of getting just as bad. The school year is about to start-- and I am NOT taking early retirement over this!.
Last week I asked my primary care physician about the possibility of me using a sonic relief machine for the pain.. He told me the heat my hurt me, but he did not know much about it. I asked him about calcium supplements: he did not know much about that for my spurs . I asked him about some natural remedy for the swelling on my leg....he told me that if he did not see studies on it, he did not believe in it. What both doctors did not know is that I had already sent for the little machine and for calcium supplements....and that I had been considering taking a natural supplement to bring down the swelling ...
In essence, a patient needs to be extremely pro-active: the doctors don't feel the pain. As well intended as most medical doctors may be, they are primarily trained to refer a patient to a specialist...to do surgery, and/or use prescription medications...inspite of all the complex side-effects that might result! Natural remedies, nutrional approaches, or any other form of alternate remedies are not encouraged.
I have my sonic relief machine now...I have been faithful to two treaments per day for the last four days. The gel penetrates the tissues. It leaves the area in my plantar feeling cool. Then, within the hour the healing in the tissue begins to feel warm and penetrating, and tingling. I don't know how to describe it. Today I was able to stand up a little longer. I am not returning the machine. I ordered more gel. At this point, I am letting my feet heal with the supplements and with the little quiet machine. I know I need to get the tissues in both feet healthier. I am willing to wait a little longer and use this machine.
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